Acas launches social media guide
Conciliation service Acas has launched a guide to the employment aspects of blogs, Twitter and Facebook after complaints that workers are abusing social media.
Acas says the report will ‘help Britain get to grips with a cyber problem estimated to cost the country billions of pounds every year’, with 55% using social media at work.
Firms said many people were checking the websites or sending messages instead of working, or even posting derogatory comments about managers or colleagues.
John Taylor, Acas chief executive, said: "Online conduct should not differ from off-line conduct. Employees should assume that everything they say on the internet could be made public, and should think whether they want their colleagues or boss to read it. They might not mean it, but what they post could end up being seen by billions of people worldwide.
"Importantly, many companies want their employees to be up to date and comfortable with internet working, as social media sites are increasingly a key part of business and marketing. Firms need to bear this in mind."
The ‘Workplaces and Social Networking: The Implications for Employment Relations’ report recommends that an employer should consult with staff and trade unions to spell out the dos and don'ts of using the internet and social media, and should also make clear the consequences of breaching its policy, which should become part of contracts of employment.